An ovine model of acute myocardial infarction and chronic left ventricular dysfunction.

Abstract

In order to develop and validate an ovine model of myocardial infarction with subse quent impairment of left ventricular function, 15 instrumented sheep underwent selective microembolization of the left coronary arteries with 0.5 mL 90 micron polystyrene beads. Hemodynamics and plasma hormones were measured preembolization (baseline) and then at hours 2, 4, 6, and 12 and days 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 postembolization. Of the 15 sheep studied, 2 (13%) died on the day of embolization from arrhythmias. In the remaining sheep, left ventricular systolic pressure and stroke work (both P